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For example, is there an issue with performing Issurim within a game?

Thanks!

Al Berko
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  • dupe? https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/28057/9643 https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/29094/9643 –  Nov 14 '18 at 02:16
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    @Ploni those posts are examples of issurim while playing games, but not other ones. Also, the OP specified responsa – robev Nov 14 '18 at 02:27
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    Just a generalization and a clarification on possible transgressions in video games to know what to look for. 1. We need to differentiate between single and multiple-player games. 2. For SP games, as all video games are virtual (not real) the only possible transgressions are ones in thought, which include "וְלֹא־תָתֻרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם" (Deut 16,39), i.e prohibitions of imaginative idolatry and adultery. 3. For MP games in addition to the above, all Negative (and positive) Mitzvos בין אדם לחבירו are in force, incl. **Lashon Harah, fraud – Al Berko Nov 14 '18 at 06:28
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    On a different note, video games are probably a bittul Torah. But then again, a lot of things we do are. – ezra Nov 14 '18 at 06:48
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    I also think that maybe it is worth to generalize the to all the possible usages of monitor-based technology, like TV, Computers, phones etc. As video games are not different from Whatsapp or WinWord – Al Berko Nov 14 '18 at 09:55
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    @ezra Bittul Torah is not as encompassing as you think... – chacham Nisan Nov 14 '18 at 11:26
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    No sources but I would have thought that "trying-out" issurim where for example they can do no harm to others, would still harm my soul and reduce the height of the barrier preventing me from doing it in reality. – Avrohom Yitzchok Nov 14 '18 at 15:35
  • The Chofetz Chaim writes that there is no intrinsic issur in speaking Loshon Hora about non-Jews, however, it causes one to habituate oneself to LH and therefore is forbidden for that reason. We could apply similar logic here. While it's true that a video-game won't habituate oneself to killing or committing serious violations - such as inappropriate sexual conduct or adultery, it does cause one to associate oneself to a sordid, undesirable lifestyle - often video games are filled with lewdness, foul language and the like which would be not in the spirit of associating oneself with that. –  Nov 14 '18 at 18:26
  • And then there is bittul Torah but that is not part of the OP's question - which assumes already he has a heter to play in the first place! –  Nov 14 '18 at 18:27
  • More subsets of this question: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/95402/9682 https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/20451/9682 – DonielF Nov 15 '18 at 12:57
  • @ezra I've seen a number of "Jewish" educational video games for children that may not necessarily be "bitul Torah". There are numerous ways to learn about halacha and mitzvoth that might include the use of video games. – DanF Nov 15 '18 at 19:16
  • @DanF Hehe, I've played some of them! :D – ezra Nov 16 '18 at 03:46

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I found one so far, here is a Teshuvah from the Rabbinical Assembly on the permissibility of playing video games:

https://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/sites/default/files/public/halakhah/teshuvot/20052010/videogames%20Dorff%20Hearshen%20Final.pdf

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    Just note that the Rabbinical Assembly is the voice of Conservative Judaism. Nothing wrong per se but worth noting for those less familiar with it. – mbloch Nov 15 '18 at 15:25